1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a frame for a brassiere which includes breastcup supports. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved brassiere frame for use in conjunction with plastic breastcup undershapers (and metal breastcup underwires), which frame does not readily ride-up the body of the wearer.
2. Description of The Related Art
In a brassiere frame for use with metal breastcup underwires, it has been found that the back end of the underwires, i.e. the end adjacent the underarms of the wearer, applies stress to the underarm areas of the wearer. Further, metal underwires have little resilience and, therefore, readily distort or twist out of shape even after relatively little use by the wearer. This distortion increases the discomfort to the wearer, especially in the wearer's underarm areas.
In an attempt to overcome the problems of stress in the wearer's underarm areas, plastic breastcup supports or undershapers have been developed, such as the plastic undershaper which is the subject of pending U.S. application Ser. No. 634,348, filed July 25, 1984 to William C. Hittel, applicant of the present invention, and Dolores O'Boyle. However, the use of plastic undershapers alone, while perhaps reducing, has not sufficiently reduced the stress in the wearer's underarm areas. Further, simply substituting plastic undershapers for metal underwires has presented problems with respect to supporting the sides of the breasts of a wearer and the balancing of forces in a brassiere frame. Specifically, plastic is a very flexible material and, therefore, it has been found that simply substituting plastic breastcup undershapers for metal breastcup underwires in a brassiere results in lack of support for the sides of the wearer's breasts and an increased application of force or stress being directed to the side and back of the brassiere so that the brassiere spreads or stretches thereby losing its shape. Further, the combination of the stress applied and loss of shape of the back and sides of the brassiere result in the brassiere "riding-up" the body of the wearer during movement of the wearer.